Epicondylitis, known more commonly as "tennis elbow", is a painful inflammation of the inside or outside of the elbow joint. The condition is commonly associated with racquet sports, golf, fishing, and bowling; however, many occurrences are work related, brought on by repeated hammering, painting, or digging. Very often it is the weekend athlete or handyman that experiences the problem due to an infrequent overuse of the musculotendinous unit where the tissues are not functionally adapted to the effort. Within a few hours after a hard session of the unaccustomed effort, the muscle fibers show degenerative changes, lose glycogen content, and accumulate lactic acid. These acidic waste particles of inflammation spread about the tissues around the tendon, causing edematous swelling and pain.
Rest followed by massage, anti-inflammatory drugs, and progressive exercise are the generally prescribed treatment. Additionally, light exercise, using gradually increasing weight, combined with proper positioning of the hand to isolate the long extensors for lateral epicondylitis, and the flexors for medial epicondylitis can greatly accelerate the healing process. Progressive exercise serves two functions, first this exercise artificially stimulates the blood circulation about the affected area, which acts to pump the waste products of inflammation from the area, and second, exercise gradually builds up the strength of the specific muscles involved in the injury, which helps prevent recurrence of the injury.
Various devices addressing bracing, pressure, or exercising have been proposed to minimize the effects of epicondylitis. Bracing devices have been designed to prevent full extension of the elbow joint. Pressure application devices apply some constant pressure for pain relief. These devices are generally worn while the patient engages in the aggravating activity, do not provide pain reduction other than while the activity is performed, and do not have a rehabilitation effect. Many simple exercise devices exist, none of which allows precise positioning and load application to relieve epicondylitis.
A need has thus arisen for a rehabilitation device to provide for pain reduction and rehabilitation of injuries caused by epicondylitis. A need has arisen for a rehabilitation device for progressively loading the affected muscles, and which provides for the correct positioning of the load to isolate and work the musculotendinous areas involved in the injury.